


WEAKNESS.

by kaygrayskull



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Catra joins the rebellion, F/F, Girls Kissing, Lesbian Adora (She-Ra), Lesbian Catra (She-Ra), Violence, catra leaves the horde
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25566631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaygrayskull/pseuds/kaygrayskull
Summary: ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ, Adora and Catra show their weaknesses.Set sometime during season 4.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Kudos: 45





	WEAKNESS.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song Weakness by Lennon Stella, and fanarts from various talented artists.

“But when your eyes are leaking  
That's my weakness  
When your smile's in pieces  
That's when I feel it all  
When your armor's breaking  
Swear I can't take it  
When your walls are caving  
That's when I feel it all”

The battle field feels oddly cold, sharp, and tense on this specific evening. Unusual as normal battles are cheery with friends helping friends.

Today is strangely different. 

Adora feels the simplicity of it all. The fight isn’t as easy as normal. Catra has more troops. More motivated workers. Real soldiers. The difference is only slightly noticeable, but off putting. 

Speak of the devil.

A familiar weight settles itself onto the crystal blue blade of Adora’s sword. A playful, sultry, insulting voice. 

“Hey Adora.” Catra says, a twinge in her voice that uncharacteristically sounds a tiny bit endearing. 

Adora isn’t able to fully grumble out the magicat’s name before soft, powerful lips slam their way onto hers.

The kiss is far from sweet, but in its own way it’s meaningful. It’s teasing. It’s passionate. It’s captivating. 

Unfortunately, the same lips pull back all too soon with a cackle. Catra springs herself off She-Ra’s sword, the biggest shit eating grin on her face she might have possibly ever pulled off. 

“You should see the look on your face! You’re practically dripping from that blush, Adora! Pretty embarrassing to have a crush on your enemy, huh, Princess?” 

Glimmer watches wide eyed, red faced, with steam practically pumping from her ears. Catra messing with Adora in this setting is not only extremely unprofessional, but also just downright dirty and the “Mighty She-Ra” is falling right into it!

“She-Ra!” The queen’s demanding voice rips through the on shot of tank ammunition and electric buzzes of stun batons all around. “Get your head out of Catra’s ass and execute her! She is the root of all of this war and mess.

But Adora sees it in a rose colored light. Adora sees the mannerisms in Catra she’s been taught to know from childhood. The way her right ear folds slightly. The way her hand trembles as it flexes her claws. The way her tail waps around wildly and her eyes dart in all directions except for Adora’s own. 

Catra is nervous. She’s been stripped of everything she used to fall back on for affection and the loss is driving her up the wall. 

But as She-Ra, she’s obligated to follow the queen of Brightmoon’s order. She is supposed to appear in the time of a planet’s gravest need and fix everything. That’s her whole job. 

Catra snickers and giggles in a way that’s unlike her, a bit of a psychotic edge. “Adora? Kill me? There’s absolutely no way she can han—“

It pains the blonde to have to do this. Her brunette ex best friend’s tail is stick straight pointed at the ground, crumbling from her facade of snark and sass. She grabs Catra’s wrist harshly, yanking her forward.

“Enough.” She-Ra’s powerful voice rings out. Tanks cease fire. Soldiers turn to face the tall warrior. The Rebellion turns to their beacon of hope as she tells the Horde’s second in command’s fate.

“Here and now, Catra of the Horde will be executed for her various war crimes against many villages and kingdoms. Your second in command shall fall.” 

In her own shock, Catra had forgotten to even keep her footing or her sarcastic mask on. Her body seizes until Adora lifts She-Ra’s sword, and suddenly Catra has slashed her claws across Adora’s right cheek out of reckless panic. 

She-Ra stumbles, grabbing her cheek and swings her sword aimlessly. As Catra goes to back up the blade skins it’s way across her right upper arm. Blood simmers through both cuts, red and angry.

Once more in shock, Catra falls back and uselessly ends up on the ground, right to She-Ra’s mercy.

Adora has regained herself, tightening her grip on the sword of protection and tips it to drive right through Catra’s skull.

“Adora, Adora, wait—!” 

The sword strikes the ground precisely right behind Catra, barely missing her tail at all. The sword is dotted in blood. She-Ra’s knees slam to the ground as she kneels, hands shaking violently to keep hold of the sword and not let it touch the Horde’s second in command once again.

Adora breaks out in a harsh sob. 

Catra exhales sharply a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. 

Clawed hands find their way to the warrior princess’s cheeks to cup them, wipe away her tears. Forehead pressed together. Ears flattened to her head. 

For some reason, Adora has spared Catra’s life. It’s a revelation for them all. 

The magicat doesn’t know why she feels the yearning pulling her to comfort and protect Adora in anyway she can. But it’s there, and who is she to refuse acting on it?

“Adora,” Catra breathes out, breath fanning over Adora’s nose in a way that tickles. “It’s okay. It’s okay, you can do it. I deserve it. For all the pain I’ve caused.” Her bitter laugh doesn’t end with the emotion she wished it had. 

That drives the ball home for Adora, She-Ra Princess of Power. 

“I can’t do it!” She shrieks, ears ringing all around. “I can’t kill the only girl I’ve ever loved!” 

She-Ra’s distinctive sword clangs to the ground with a deafening sound. She rises, scooping the Horde leader into her protective hold. 

Catra trembles in her grip, tired whimpers and cries spilling from her fanged mouth. 

Adora extends her hand to halt any more blows or further commands. Said hand rises to brunette hair, combing through tangles and matted pieces. The tremors seem to subside slightly. 

Catra finally turns her face, uncrossing her arms that once stuck tightly to her upper body. A hand cradles Adora’s injured cheek, hoping to clean the blood before it begins to dry.

“I’m sorry,” She manages, voice stopping somewhere trapped in her throat. Arms reach up to securely hug Adora tight. “I... wish it didn’t escalate to... all of this. I was angry and that doesn’t make it right— not... not exactly, but... I’m sorry. For everything.”

Adora solemnly smiles at the girl she’s loved for so many years, removing that traitorous head piece and tossing it elsewhere. She lightly runs her fingers through Catra’s fringe of bangs to keep them from her eyes.

“I know.” Is all the blonde can manage back. She’s tired. The exhaustion is setting deep in the creaks of her bones. She just wants to sleep, her magicat settled in her arms.

Catra slips one arm out from under Adora’s arm where she was hugging, opting to rest her hand against Adora’s neck to pull her down a bit.

Adora meets her halfway, wrapping her wrist and hand to the back of Catra’s neck. Lips meet for a desperate, solemn, and soft kiss. A complication of a flurry of feelings all built up in the girl’s chest up to this moment. 

Adora pulls away reluctantly, cupping Catra’s cheek to leave some attachment to the roughed up girl.

“We are a nation of peace and love,” She-Ra’s voice rings out once more. “We normally do not condone the act of blood shed and execution or torture of a enemy. Of a captor. I will make it my duty to keep my supervision on Catra of the Horde to see how she can adapt and rehabilitate here peacefully on Brightmoon. This is an order of She-Ra.” 

Glimmer glares. Bow nods his approval. Mermista rolls her eyes. Sea Hawk gives a thumbs up. Perfuma claps in delight. Scorpia cheers. Frosta fake vomits. Netossa and Spinnerella share a matching proud mother like expression.

She-Ra extends her sword to blast away the remaining Horde troops. Light shines blindingly, and Adora stands in She-Ra’s place. Catra still bundled tight in her arms.

Adora takes one look in Catra’s drooping eyes, and turns on her heel in the direction of Brightmoon’s castle.

———

Night has fallen on the planet of Etheria. 

Quiet has fallen over Adora’s room.

The lights are dimmed as a brunette and a blonde lay side by side, face to face, not touching. The silence is suffocating for them both, but neither knows what to say.

Adora reaches over to scratch behind Catra’s ears like she always used to love as a child. She hisses, eyes screwed shut, face scrunched. Vulnerability is going to have to be a thing learned here at Brightmoon apparently, but she wasn’t sure how long that would last before she altogether quit.

But the touch feels too good to avoid. Adora knows which walls to break, which walls have weak points. It’s a small gesture, but Catra finds herself leaning into the touch gratefully, eyes closed peacefully and a soft purr rumbling through her chest.

Adora smiles fondly, murmuring quietly, “I never did stop loving you, Catra.”

For once, Catra meets her eyes. “Neither did I.” 

They fall asleep underneath the stars, hands interlocked as Adora’s chin rests on Catra’s head and Catra’s face is pressed gently into Adora’s chest.

Tomorrow is another day for vulnerability, and most importantly, change.


End file.
